The original Jack Russell

1887
English batsmen who average 50 in Tests are few and far between, making
Charles "Jack" Russell
, who was born today, one of a rare breed.
A reliable, largely on-side player, Russell recovered from an
inauspicious start (10 runs in four innings) to average 56.87. And he
had a remarkable conversion rate: he made five centuries despite only
passing 50 on seven occasions. His finest hour came in his last Test, at
Durban in 1922-23, when he became the first Englishman to make two
hundreds in a Test. A tree was planted to mark the feat, but strangely
Russell never played Test cricket again. He was a Wisden Cricketer of
the Year in 1923 but appeared in only 10 Tests, the last eight of which
yielded 900 runs at an average of 75. He was also a distinguished
servant for Essex, where he died in 1961.

1952
The birth of the man who captained Australia to their heaviest Ashes
defeat. Graham Yallop was extremely unfortunate to inherit a team gutted
by Kerry Packer, and even Roy of the Rovers would have struggled to make
a silk purse out of the sow's ear that lost 5-1 to Mike Brearley's
England in 1978-79. He may not have been the most intuitive captain, but
Yallop certainly led by example. In the last Test at Sydney, he made 121
in an innings where nobody else passed 16. His innings comprised 61.11%
of the Australian total of 198, the eighth-highest in a completed Test
innings. Yallop was a punchy left-hander who made eight hundreds in 39
Tests, including 167 at Calcutta in 1979-80 in his first innings as an
opener, and 268 at Melbourne against Pakistan at Melbourne in 1983-84.
He married a Welsh girl and played for Glamorgan 2nd XI in 1977.

1876
The best of the only trio of brothers to have played Test cricket for
South Africa was born today. Louis Tancred was a scrapper of an
opener, very much in the Tavaré mould, happy to grind down attacks so
that the middle order could cash in. He made 97 on debut, against
Australia at Johannesburg in 1902-03, but that remained his highest
score in 14 Tests. He bagged a pair at Headingley in his first Test in
England, in 1907, and played his last Test in 1912-13. His brothers
Augustus and Vincent played three Tests between them. Louis died in
Johannesburg in 1934.

1979
At Kanpur, Geoff Dymock became the third bowler and the
first Australian to take to dismiss all 11 batsmen in a Test when he
bowled Dilip Doshi. But his heroic performance - his match figures of 12
for 168 were his best in Tests - could not stop India winning by 153
runs. Australia needed 279 to win but collapsed dismally, with Kapil Dev
and Shival Yadav each taking four wickets.

1870
Birth of a man who was captain in his only Test. South African Henry
Taberer was a useful allrounder who took charge when he made his
debut against Australia at Johannesburg in 1902-03. He was a powerful
hitter and quick bowler who once, for a bet, threw a cricket ball 100
yards while stood in a tub. Despite representing Oxford University
against Cambridge at athletics and rugby, he did not gain his cricket
Blue. He died in Colesberg in 1932.

1964
An unlikely turnaround gave Australia their third consecutive Test
victory at Madras. India had taken a first-innings lead of 65, but
after Australia set them 333 to win, the home side fell apart. They were
0 for 2 and then 24 for 4, and despite a defiant 94 from Hanumant Singh,
Australia breezed home by 139 runs. Their star was that gentle giant
Graham McKenzie, who returned match figures of 10 for 91.